Cilantro!! I've personally struggled for many years trying to grow healthy cilantro plants that don't bolt right after getting a few measly leaves. This year we've mastered it.. can't say how, but i think it's just consistent water (go figure) and this weird cooler weather we've been having.

That being said, we also have our first fall harvest of sugar snap peas ready and available for our members!

This week's share included a beautiful eggplant, a bunch of leeks, a pint of mixed heirloom cherry/grape tomatoes, a stuffed 1/2 pint of sugar snap peas, a huge bunch of cilantro, a bell pepper, serrano peppers, and mixed salad greens.

This week's share:

Serrano peppers, like jalapeños, can range from green to red when fully mature. Jalapeños are slightly larger, ranging from 2-3 inches versus serranos maturity length of 1-2 inches. Serranos are hotter as well, ranking about a 7-8 on a scale of one to ten compared to a jalapeño at 5-6.

Both jalapeños and serranos are popular in Mexican dishes. Jalapeño peppers can be canned or used fresh. They are often found in spicy salsas, tortilla cheese soups and chipotle sauces. Serranos are also used in salsas, and they are easier to use for this purpose than jalapeños because their walls are thin and do not require steaming or peeling prior to use. Like jalapeños, serranos can be canned or served fresh, though they can also be pickled or stored in oil.

When preparing hot peppers: Respect the pepper! Seriously though, through experience attempting to prepare a hot pepper in haste will come back to bite you...in the face, fingers and body!!

1) Wear gloves when handling hot peppers. Remove gloves carefully and turn inside out to avoid skin contact. Dispose of or rinse in a bleach solution to remove spicy oils. 2) Remove seeds and ribs for a milder dish or leave in for spicier. 3) Never drink water or beer to alleviate spiciness when ingesting. Only Milk, yogurt or products with 'casein' (a protein found in dairy and surprisingly in a lot of processed foods) can help counteract 'capsaicin' (chemical in hot peppers that makes them spicy).

We'd love to hear what you've made!Email us at centralrootsfarm@gmail.comif you have recipe ideas you'd like us to share in future emails!

Spotlight:Cilantro

Cilantro has a pungent and unique flavor that pairs well with avocado, chicken, fish, lamb, lentils, peppers, pork, rice, salads, salsas, shellfish, tomatoes, and yogurt. The seed of the cilantro plant is known as coriander. Cilantro and coriander have very different flavors and can not be substituted for one another in dishes. However, Recipes sometime refer to cilantro as 'coriander leaves' or ' fresh coriander.'

Store in refrigerator with cut ends in a jar of water and leaves loosely covered with a plastic bag for several days. Change water every 2 days. Or store in a plastic bag for a week.

Set a large skillet over medium high heat, and leave dry. Add in quinoa and toast until quinoa starts to darken at the edges, about 3-5 minutes. Using a fine sieve, rinse quinoa and set aside.

Spray a large sauce pan with non-fat cooking spray and set over medium high heat. Add in onions and garlic and sauté until tender and fragrant, about 3 minutes. If onions and garlic start to stick to the pan, add in a bit of the broth to deglaze.

Stir in chiles and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add in quinoa and remaining broth and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and most of the liquid has been absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.

Add in remaining ingredients and fluff with a fork. Serve immediately.

Eggplant - store eggplant at room temperature in a vented bowl. It may be kept in the refrigerator 1 to 3 days if used soon after removal. Keep eggplant in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying.

Salad Mix - remove from bag and place in a vented bowl or container to be kept in the crisper if you have it. If not, use greens within 3-5 days. Lettuce can also be wrapped in a paper towel instead of this method to allow airflow.

Tomatoes- counter top, never refrigerate.

Leeks - wrap them loosely in a plastic bag and store in crisper. Cooked leeks are highly perishable, and even when kept in the refrigerator, will only stay fresh for about two days. Leeks may be frozen after being blanched for two to three minutes, although they will lose some of their desirable taste and texture qualities. Leeks will keep in the freezer for about three months.